Tube fitting assembly



April 24, 195 J. B. PARSONS TUBE FITTING ASSEMBLY Filed Oct. 15, 1948 V v ms mmm A. .N mi ,P W B J V 'Patented Apr. 24, 1 951 Appl ication cases; s, 1943; Serial No. 54:191'

This invention relates to pipe couplings, but particularly tov tube fitting" assembles employing'relatively thin-walled tubing. ,7 v

An object is to producea simple and efficient coupling forthin-wjalled pipe by which the pipe or. tubemay be quickly attached. to abody part without the use of screw-threaded connections,

andjin such manner as to'produce a reliable and efiicientliquid-tight connection. i l

Anotherobjectiis" to produce anew and'im- 1 proved coupling particularly adapted for thinwalled tubing which .can be quickly and reliably connected and. disconn'ected which eliminates the useof; the relatively I expensive parts such assc'reW-threaded glands andmembers requiring;,close tolerances; and: which, in Pa simple manner; effects a liquid-tight seal.

'Other objects andladvantages of the invention side elevation partly in: section; showing the coupling assembly;

Figures 2v is a transverse sectional elevation substantially onthe. linei 2-2 of Figure Y1 Figure 3 is a plan viewv of the rubber-like sealing'ling; i Figured is aside elevation of the'retainer clipj a, t. -Figure is asectional view on the line 5-5 of Figure 4; and 1 Figure-'6. is an end elevation of theiretainer clip.. i g

The illustrated embodiment ofthe invention compris'es-.ab'ody member ID which may be'a die casting and which'is provided with a longitudinally extending passage -l i' which is open at in an enlarged annular portionq [2 connected to the adjacent portion by a reduced. neck l3 providing a substantiallyflatannular shoulder l at the inner end ofthe annular portion lie.

The outer end of the longitudinalpassage literminates in an-enlarged annular socket l5 and 1 Thus the free end portion of the tube ll serves as a pilot to have a relatively freesliding fit with- 5 "Claims. (01. 285-174) in the socket is. Formed on the tubing a short distance from the free end thereof is an external annular bead or collar l8 which may be formed by holding the adjacent portions of the'tube and forcing these portions toward each other to cause the metal to flow outwardly into a bead formation. The location of the bead away from the free end of the tube I? is not critical so long as the bead enters the annular cavity 16. It should further be noted'that it is not necessary that the free end of the tube bottom against will hereinafter, appealg and 'for purposes ofilthe'inner end of the socket H5.

-The bead 58 extends laterally beyond the side walls of the tubing ashort distance and although it is not important that the outer surface of the bead engage'the side walls of the cavity IE, it is necesary only that the bead may pass freely into the cavityi-fi. Surrounding the tubes, IT in advance ofthe bead 18 is an annular packing ring is of rubber-like material and having char-' acteristics of resilience and compressibility, such rings being 1 ordinarily referred to as O rings.

' The ring 19 preferably isof a diameter jslightly itsouter end. The body member 1c terminates body member.

greater than the distance between the outerssurface ofthe tube l1 andthe side walls ofethe cavity ld soas to be compressed when the tube i s'forced into the vcylindrical portion I2 of the As shown, the corner portion 28 of the cavity 18 is rounded and provides a shoul-. der for limiting the-inward movement of ring [9.

In order to hold the tube ll against retrograde movement or movement away from its coupled position, a spring metal retainer 2| is employed; The: retainer 2 is of spring sheet metal of. ..U shape, providing a pair of inwardly" inclined arms;22,' the free ends of which curve outwardly as indicated at '23. Struck from each of the arms 22;-adjacent the curved ends are tongues Zfiffihe free. edges of which extend inwardly and which are adapted to, engage the fiat shoulder Hi adjacent the inner end of the cylindrical body portion [2. Integrallyconnecting the twov arms 22 is a substantially fiat body portion 25 having a central Opening 2eformed by aninwardly ex tending annular flange portion 21' which abuts against the outer side portion of the bead .IB and holds it against retrograde movement, thereby holding the rubber-like sealing ring 19 in sealing engagement with the adjacent surfaces.

Manifestly, in assembling the parts, the tube I1 is slid into. the socket E5, the sealing ring [9 first having been applied against the inner side of the bead l8. The retainer 2| is then forced Nrrsics theO' over the cylindrical body portion I2 until the tongues 26 snap into engagement with the shoulder [4. The coupling is thereby formed and produces an exceedingly satisfactory, inexpensive and liquid-tight seal. Manifestly, any liquid under pressure which may seep between the outer end portion of the tube I1 and the walls of the socket l5 impinge against the inner portion of the O ring (9 and urge it into more intimate sealing engagement.

It is to be understood that numerous changes in details of construction, arrangement and oper-,

ation may be effected without departing from the spirit of the invention especially as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

cross section interposed between the tube and the side wall of the cavity and arranged at the inner side of said bead, a sheet metal retainer on said body member, a portion of said retainer engaging the outer side of said bead, and finger means on said retainer engaging the external 1. A tube connection comprising a thin-walled metal tube, an integral outwardly extending peripheral collar on said tube adjacent one end thereof but spaced a short distance therefrom, the end portion of said tube beyond said collar being ofysubstantially uniform diameter, a hollow body member having an inner wall defining a passage therein communicating with said tube, the end portion of said tube having a sliding engagement in a portion of said inner wall, an enlarged annular cavity contiguous to the outer end ofxsaid last passage portion to receive said collar, a rubber-like ring round in cross section interposed between the tube and the side wall of the cavity and arranged at the inner-side of said collar, a substantially U-shaped spring metal clip having a portion abutting the outer side of'said collar, and struck-out tongues on said clip'engaging the outer-surface of said body member.

2. A tube connection comprising a thin-walled metal tube, an external annular bead on said tube adjacent one end' thereof but spaced a short distance therefrom, the end portion of said tube beyond, said collar being of substantially uniform diameter, a hollow body member having an inner wall: defining a passage therein communicating withsaid tube, the end portion of said tube havinga sliding engagement ina portion of said inner wall, an enlarged annular cavity contiguous'to the outer end of said last passage portion toreceive-said bead, a rubber-like ring round in cross section interposed between the tube and the side wall of the cavity and arranged at the inner sideof said bead, a sheet metal retainer on said body member, a portion of said retainer engaging the outer side of said bead, and finger meanson-said retainerengaging said body member.,for cooperating with saidretainer portion to prevent outward movement of the tubefromthe body member.

3. A tube connection comprising a thin-walled metal. tube, an external annular bead on said tubeoadjacent one end thereof but spaced a short distance therefrom, the end portion of said tube beyond said collar being of substantially uniform diameter, a hollow body member having an inner wall:.defining a passage therein communicating with said tube, external shoulder means on said body member, the end portion of said tube having. a sliding engagement in a portion of said inner'wall, an enlarged annular cavity contiguous to the outer end of said last passage portion to receive said bead, a rubber-like ring'round in shoulder means of said body member for cooperating with said retainer portion to prevent outward movement of the tube from the body member.

4; A tube connection comprising a thin-walled metal tube, an integral outwardly extending peripheral collar on said tube adjacent one end thereof butspaced a short distance therefrom, the end portion of said tube beyond said collar being of. substantially uniform diameter, a hollow body member having an inner wall defining a passage therein communicating with said tube, the end portion of said tube having a sliding engagement' in a portion of said inner wall, an enlarged annular cavity contiguous to the outer end of said last passageportion to receive said collar, a rubber-like ring round in cross section interposed between the tubeand the side wall of the. cavity and arranged at the inner side of said collar, a spring metal retainer having a portion abutting theouter side of said collar, and means on said retainer impinging against the outer surface of said body member for cooperating with said retainer portion, to prevent. outward movement of the tube from the body memher.

5. A tube connection comprising a thin-walled metal tube, an external annular bead on said tube adjacent; one end thereof but spaced a short distance therefrom, the end portion of said tube beyond said collar being of substantially uniform diameter, a hollow body'member having an inner wall defining a passage therein communicating with said tube, the end portion of said tube having a sliding engagement in a portion of said inner wall, an enlarged annular cavity con. tiguous to the outer end of said last: passage portion to receive said bead said body member havingan outwardly facingshoulderat the inner end of said enlarged annular cavity, a: rubberlike ring, roundincross. section interposed between. the tube and the, side wall ofthe cavity and arranged between the inner side. of said bead and said shoulder, a sheet metal retainer on said body member, an inwardly extending flange portion of said retainer engaging the outer side of said bead, and means on said retainer engagingsaidj body member for cooperating with said flange portion to prevent outward movement of the tube from the body member.

- JOHN B. PARSONS.

nnrnannons orrnn The following references are of record in the file -0f this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

